Anyone Have Experience With Self Siphoning Gravel Vac?

[nukeonekitty]

I was at Meijer yesterday and saw a self siphoning gravel vac and I was just curious if anyone every used one and how it worked. The reason I ask is because I liked the price tag... 5 bucks!

 

[ridewake210]

for 5 bux i doubt it works very well. but shoot for 5 bux u dont really have much to lose. give it a try and let us know how it goes!!

 

[DebraAustin]

I was at Meijer yesterday and saw a self siphoning gravel vac and I was just curious if anyone every used one and how it worked. The reason I ask is because I liked the price tag... 5 bucks!

I have a self siphoning vac and it works great. You just pump it up and down in the water (it explains how) and the water just starts pouring out into my bucket. Then you stick it down in the gravel and it vacuums like crazy. Have been using it for 6 months now and it cleans like mad. Just because something is inexpensive doesn't mean it doesn't work. This is a low tech version, so they can keep it low cost.

Debra

 

[highfire]

This sounds rather useful and convenient.
Shame I wouldn't dare try it on the sand substrate in my tank - there probably wouldn't be any sand left at the end!

 

[Dubby]

This sounds rather useful and convenient.
Shame I wouldn't dare try it on the sand substrate in my tank - there probably wouldn't be any sand left at the end!

So how do you clean the tank? I have a sand sustrate and I use a gravel vac regularly.

 

[nukeonekitty]

I'm glad to here it works well! I'm excited to go get one now!

 

[LiveLifeGoJump]

I used onr of those until I got a different type with some secondhand equipment. It's a flexitube with a 'suck no blow' valve & squeezy section. You put one end it the tank, the orher in the bucket and squeeze the 'bulb' till the water flows. IMO it's much better that the one you pump in the water.

 

[D4N]

I was at Meijer yesterday and saw a self siphoning gravel vac and I was just curious if anyone every used one and how it worked. The reason I ask is because I liked the price tag... 5 bucks!

I have a self siphoning vac and it works great. You just pump it up and down in the water (it explains how) and the water just starts pouring out into my bucket. Then you stick it down in the gravel and it vacuums like crazy. Have been using it for 6 months now and it cleans like mad. Just because something is inexpensive doesn't mean it doesn't work. This is a low tech version, so they can keep it low cost.

Debra

there is no point in standing there trying to pump the water threw by sending it up and down in the tank stressing your fish!!

there is a easyer way!!!
put the vac in your tank (put it in so it is al under the water). then suck on the other end of the pipe
(becareful not to get a mouth full!!!!!) then quickly put the end of the pipe in the bucket and vac up al the poop!
saves time.

 

[LiveLifeGoJump]

How about

Submerge ALL of the syphon tube so it fills with water, put finger over the one end to block it, remove that end and put into bucket, remove finger & water will flow. Saves you from the risk of a 'gob full' & costs the same as a piece of tube (nowt if you cut it off the garden hose when noone is looking )

 

[SamUK]

always amazes me how people miss the even simpler option.



hold one end over the filter output and let the filter do all the hard work.

 

[highfire]

So how do you clean the tank? I have a sand sustrate and I use a gravel vac regularly.

Oh sorry I probably didn't explain properly.
I do have a gravel vac, but it's the type where you have to suck to get the syphon going. I find that I have been able to clean my sand with only the minimum amount going up the syphon, but it sounds as if a self-syphoning vac would be more powerful, which is why I said about all my sand disappearing.

 

[Vicky99]

My gravel vac is the pump in the water type - or you can suck the end. It works really well - I like it. It only cost me £3.50 too.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

How about

Submerge ALL of the syphon tube so it fills with water, put finger over the one end to block it, remove that end and put into bucket, remove finger & water will flow. Saves you from the risk of a 'gob full' & costs the same as a piece of tube (nowt if you cut it off the garden hose when noone is looking )

yeah i was gonna say, thats what i do! no gobfull of water, no standing there forever pumping the tube... to this day I've never managed to get a siphon to start by pumping it!

 

[Fillet 'O' Fish]

How about

Submerge ALL of the syphon tube so it fills with water, put finger over the one end to block it, remove that end and put into bucket, remove finger & water will flow. Saves you from the risk of a 'gob full' & costs the same as a piece of tube (nowt if you cut it off the garden hose when noone is looking )

yeah i was gonna say, thats what i do! no gobfull of water, no standing there forever pumping the tube... to this day I've never managed to get a siphon to start by pumping it!

Me neither !!

 

[Bex]

I think the ones you pump tend to freak the fish out a bit as well. The best way is to totally submerge the thing like LiveLiveGoJump said. We nearly walloped one of our fish on the bonce pumping our syphon!

And, like Miss Wiggle, I can't get the damn thing to work! The hubby can but I end up sploshing water everywhere, freaking out the fish and making a mess.